http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c88p61b2 No online items Earl Nisbet collection, 2011-05 Finding aid prepared by Finding aid prepared by Emily Vigor Environmental Design Archives 230 Wurster Hall #1820 Berkeley, CA, 94720-1820 (510) 642-5124 designarchives@berkeley.edu 2012 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved. Earl Nisbet collection, 2011-05 2011-05 1
Title: Earl Nisbet collection Identifier/Call Number: 2011-05 Contributing Institution: Environmental Design Archives Language of Material: English Physical Description: 14.5 Linear feet, 6 document boxes, 1 flat box, 1 flat file drawer Date (inclusive): 1931-2007 Abstract: A native Californian, Nisbet joined the army after high school and served in WW II. Upon return to civilian life, he enrolled in an architecture and engineering college in San Francisco, where he was inspired by the designs of Frank Lloyd Wright. He worked as a carpenter's apprentice until 1950, when he was accepted as a Fellow at Taliesin West. In 1953, he left Taliesin, and began work on his own. In 1958, following an extended stay in Tahiti, he moved to Hawaii, and established a practice there. He returned to California in the 1960s. Nisbet's beautiful drawings reflect the style and influence of Frank Lloyd Wright. This collection contains drawings of built and unbuilt projects, mostly residential, spanning the years 1950-1990. creator: Nisbet, Earl, 1926-2013 Biographical Note Earl Nisbet was born on June 17, 1926 in San Jose, California. Nisbet joined the army after high school and served in WWII. Upon returning to civilian life, he enrolled in an architecture and engineering college in San Francisco, where he was inspired by the designs of Frank Lloyd Wright. After college, he worked as a carpenter s apprentice and assisted in the construction of the Midglen residence in Woodside, a home that was being built by apprentices of Frank Lloyd Wright. This experience influenced him to apply for a fellowship studying with Frank Lloyd Wright and in 1950 he was accepted as a Fellow at Taliesin in Wisconsin. Nisbet spent three years at Taliesin and Taliesin West before pursing an independent career designing homes in Northern California. In 1958, following an extended stay in Tahiti, he moved to Hawaii and established a practice in Waikiki. During this period, Nisbet built the Doo House. He returned to California in the early 1960s where he continued to design residential and commercial buildings. Nisbet s architectural drawings reflect the influence of Frank Lloyd Wright throughout his career. He passed away in Aptos, CA in 2013. Sources: Nisbet, Earl. Taliesin Reflections: My Years Before, During, and After Living with Frank Lloyd Wright. Petaluma, CA: Meridian Press, 2006. System of Arrangement This collection is organized into four series: Personal Papers, Professional Papers, Office Records, and Project Records. Scope and Contents Note Personal and Professional Papers consist primarily of correspondence with friends and colleagues, as well as personal photographs. A scrapbook that Nisbet created during his life that contains numerous clippings on Frank Lloyd Wright is also included in the Personal Papers series. Office records include photographs from two exhibitions on Taliesin Fellows that Nisbet was included in, as well as publication clippings on the Doo House and Tanglewood House. The Project Records consist of built and unbuilt projects, mostly residential.they include construction drawings of Gene Masselink s abstraction for Frank Lloyd Wright s Frank Sander House in Stamford, Connecticut, a decorative wood screen for the current owner, Erik Gavriluk. This collection also includes a drawing that Nisbet completed for Frank Lloyd Wright of a tent while at Taliesin with Wright s own sketch in the bottom right corner. Custodial History This collection was received from Earl Nisbet. Preferred Citation [Identification of Item], Earl Nisbet Collection, [2011-05] Environmental Design Archives, University of California, Berkeley. Access Statement Collection is open for research. Publication Rights All requests for permission to publish, reproduce, or quote from materials in the collection should be discussed with the Curator. Inventory of the Olof Dahlstrand Collection, 2008-1 Project Index The following is a list of architectural projects from the Earl Nisbet Collection. For more complete information about collection contents for each project, as well as shelf location and microfilming status, download the complete Project Earl Nisbet collection, 2011-05 2011-05 2
Index in an Excel spreadsheet format by going to http://www.ced.berkeley.edu/cedarchives/pindex/nisbet.xls. For instructions on interpreting the Project Index, see The Guide to the Project Index. The project list below, derived from the Project Index, is arranged alphabetically by Project/Client Name and contains information, where available, about the location, date, project type, collaborators, photographers, and formats for each project in the collection. Project/Client Name (location, date, project type) Collaborator (role), Photographer [Format - Ms=Manuscripts, Dr=Drawings, Ph=Photographs, Sl=Slides] Baird, Robert: Hidden River Ranch ( Salt Lake City, UT ; 2011 residential ) [Dr] Blois, R.M. ( Portola Valley, CA ; 1955 ; residential ) [Ms, Dr, Ph, Sl] Brookside Park ( Woodside, CA ; 1954 ; residential ) [Ms, Dr] Bushea, William ( Newport, OR ; 1956 ; residential ) [Dr] Canyon House ( Woodside, CA ; 1954 ; residential ) [Dr] Design: Furniture studies ; n.d. ; furniture [Dr] Design: Hidden River Ranch ( Salt Lake City, UT ; 2011 ; residential ) Design: house ( Woodside, CA ; 1956 ; residential ) [Dr] Design: Maple Ave House ( Sunnyvale, CA ; 1956 ; residential ) [Dr] Design: Plexidom ; 1956 ; residential [Dr] Design: Small bungalow ; n.d. ; residential [Dr] Design: Studio Apartment ; n.d. ; residential [Dr] Design: Valley National Bank ; n.d. ; commercial [Dr] Designs: Various buildings ; n.d. [Dr] Doo, S.C. ( Honolulu, HI ; 1959 ; residential ) [Ms, Dr, Ph, Sl] Elwood, Wayne ( Palo Alto Hills, CA ; 1965 ; residential ) [Dr, Ph, Sl] Falconer, D.W. ( Soquel, CA ; 1955 ; residential ) [Ms, Dr, Ph, Sl] Falconer, D.W. Scheme 1 ( Soquel, CA ; 1955 ; residential ) [Dr, Ph] Gores, Joseph ( San Anselmo, CA ; 1978 ; commercial ) [Dr] Hidden River Ranch ( Salt Lake City, UT ; 2011 ; residential ) [Dr] John, Harry ( Oconomowoc, WI ; n.d. ; residential ) [Dr] Larry's Snack Counter ( Honolulu, HI ; 1960 ; commercial ) [Dr] Longevar Prefab ( Honolulu, HI ; 1958 ; residential ) [Dr] McCord, Glenn ( Arlington, NJ ; n.d. ; residential ) [Dr] McNemey, Michael and Debbie light deck design ; n.d. ; furnishings [Dr] Meija, F. pool cover design ( Santa Cruz, CA ; n.d. ; residential ) [Dr] Moore residence ( Felton, CA ; residential ) [Ph] Newman, Jack ( La Honda, CA ; 1953 ; residential ) [Dr] Nisbet, Earl ( Anderson Island, WA ; 1990 ; residential ) [Dr] Nisbet, Earl ( Santa Cruz, CA ; 1978 ; residential ) [Dr] Nisbet, Earl ( Aptos, CA ; 1976 ; residential ) [Dr] Nisbet, Earl House Studies ( Aptos, CA ; 1976 ; residential ) [Dr] Nisbet, Earl Scheme 1 ( Aptos, CA ; 1976 ; residential ) [Dr] Nisbet, Earl Scheme 2 ( Aptos, CA ; 1976 ; residential ) [Dr] Nisbet, Earl Portola Studio ( Portola Valley, CA ; 1955 ; commercial ) [Dr] Nisbet, Earl: Drafting Studio ( Portola Valley, CA ; 1955 ; residential ) [Dr] Nisbet, Earl: Frank S. Sander House decorative wood screen ( Stamford, CT ; 2011 ; furnishings ) Collaborator: Gene Masselink [Dr] Nisbet, Earl: Kalakawa Office ( Honolulu, HI ; 1958 ; commercial ) [Dr, Ph] Nisbet, Earl: Mini Storage Building ( Santa Cruz, CA ; 1976 ; commercial ) [Dr] Nisbet, Earl: Nisbet Associates Office ( Los Altos, CA ; n.d. ; commercial ) [Ms] Nisbet, Earl: Sunridge House ( Pebble Beach, CA ; 1965 ; residential ) [Dr] Earl Nisbet collection, 2011-05 2011-05 3
Nisbet, Earl: Taliesin Tent ( Scottsdale, AZ ; 1952 ; residential ) [Dr] Palo Alto Hills Project ( Palo Alto, CA ; 1965 ; residential ) [Ms] Pescadero Heights ( Pebble Beach, CA ; 1965 ; residential ) [Ms, Dr] Sedgwick Pharmacy ( Capitola, CA ; 1955 ; commercial ) [Dr] Smith, Roscoe ( Los Altos, CA ; 1955 ; residential ) [Ms, Dr] Spade, H.V. ( Alpine Hills, CA ; 1955 ; residential ) [Ms, Dr] Tanglewood ( Felton, CA ; 1953 ; residential ) [Ph, Sl] Winn Residence ( Kalamazoo, MI ; residential ) [Dr] Unidentified architectural drawings [Dr] Subjects and Indexing Terms Architects--California Architectural drawings Architectural firms--california Architectural photographs Architectural records Architecture, Domestic--California--San Francisco Bay Area Architecture--California SERIES I: PERSONAL PAPERS, 1945-2007 Language of Material: English Physical Description: Document Box 1-2, Flat Box 3 Arranged chronologically This collection consists primarily of personal correspondence received by Nisbet, and Holiday cards that Nisbet created. Personal photographs include images of Earl at Taliesin and photographs that he took during his apprenticeship. A. Correspondence A. 1957-2007 Folder 1 Folder 2-3 Folder 4 Folder 5-6 Nisbet, Mary Lou correspondence, 1957-1960 Correspondence received, 1952-2006 Nisbet designed and sent holiday cards, 1987-2001 Holiday cards received, 1959-2007, n.d. B. Writings Folder 7 Folder 8 Essay "On Frank Lloyd Wright", n.d. Notes, 1957-1991 C. Travel Earl Nisbet collection, 2011-05 2011-05 4
SERIES I: PERSONAL PAPERS, 1945-2007 C. Travel Folder 9 International Date Line certificate, 1957 D. Photographs Folder 10 Folder 11 Folder 12 Folder 13 Earl at Taliesin, n.d. Photographs, n.d. Portraits, 1945-1956 Taliesin Photos, 1952-1953 E. Awards Folder 14 Dietary Services, Stanford Hospital Center, 1963 F. Sketches Folder 15 Drawings and sketches, n.d. G. Scrapbook Flat-box 3 Clippings related to Frank Lloyd Wright, n.d. SERIES II: PROFESSIONAL PAPERS, 1931-2003 Language of Material: English Physical Description: Document Box 4 Arranged chronologically The correspondence in this collection includes architects that Nisbet met while at Taliesin and correspondence from both the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and the Taliesin Fellowship and Preservation, Inc. A. Correspondence Folder 1 Folder 2 Folder 3 Folder 4 Folder 5 Folder 6 Folder 7 Alvin Badenhop correspondence, 1958-1997 Chuck Bass correspondence, 1959-1988 Jackson Wong correspondence, 1988-2001 Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation correspondence, 1984-2003 Taliesin Fellowship correspondence, 1950 Taliesin Preservation, Inc. correspondence, 1987-2002 Nisbet correspondence, 1998 Earl Nisbet collection, 2011-05 2011-05 5
SERIES II: PROFESSIONAL PAPERS, 1931-2003 A. Correspondence Folder 8 Correspondence received, 1988-1998 B. Reference Files Folder 9 Lecture notes on architectural perspective - George M. Allen, 1931 SERIES III: OFFICE RECORDS, 1954-1995 Physical Description: Document Box 5, 7 Arranged chronologically Photographs are from the Taliesin Fellows Exhibition at the Marin Civic Center and an exhibition at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo of the Taliesin Fellows Northern California chapter. A. Photographs Physical Description: ** see Project Index Folder 1 Folder 2 Taliesin Fellows Exhibition, Marin Civic Center, 1995 TFNC Cal Poly Exhibition, n.d. B. Clippings Folder 3 Folder 4 Folder 5 Doo House publication clippings, 1958-1965 Tanglewood House publication clippings, 1954, n.d. Various projects publication clippings, 1958-1968 C. Forms and Stationary Folder 6 Folder 7 Folder 8 Contract forms, n.d. Construction forms, n.d. Business cards n.d. SERIES IV: PROJECT RECORDS, 1953-2011 Physical Description: Document Box 5-6, Flat Files Arranged alphabetically This series includes project files, drawings, and photographs of projects both completed and envisioned by Nisbet. A. Files Physical Description: ** See Project Index Earl Nisbet collection, 2011-05 2011-05 6
SERIES IV: PROJECT RECORDS, 1953-2011 B. Photographs B. Photographs Physical Description: ** See Project I C. Drawings Physical Description: ** See Project Index Earl Nisbet collection, 2011-05 2011-05 7